Many laser cutting machines cut patterns into materials using a galvo head (often referred to as just a galvo) to set the position of the laser light on the material. A galvo includes two or more mirrors that can have their orientation adjusted based on a control signal so that laser light emitted by a laser is directed to different positions on the material. A galvo has a field of view representing the two-dimensional span of the laser light directed by the galvo. To cut locations outside of the galvo's field of view, the material must be moved relative to the galvo. This can be achieved by moving the galvo or by moving the material below the galvo head.
In some laser cutting systems, a web of material is moved past a stationery galvo. The galvo then receives control signals that cause the galvo to cut repeating pattern out of the web of material.